Reuters-FOCUS-East Asia plans close

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Subject: Reuters-FOCUS-East Asia plans closer ties for 21st century

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Sunday November 28, 4:22 am Eastern Time=20
FOCUS-East Asia plans closer ties for 21st century
(Recasts, adds joint declaration, details, paras 1-2, 5-9, 22-24)=20

By Chris Johnson=20

MANILA, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Thirteen Asian nations promised on Sunday to =
strengthen economic and political ties to bring peace, stability and =
prosperity to two-fifths of the world's population.=20

In an unprecedented joint declaration, Japan, China, South Korea and the =
10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) vowed to link =
arms to make a ``tangible impact on the quality of life'' and stability =
of east Asia in the next century.=20

The host of the summit, Philippine President Joseph Estrada, said the =
cooperation might one day lead to ``an east Asian common market, one =
east Asian currency, one east Asian community.''=20

The east Asian markets encompass about two billion people and $7.75 =
trillion in economic output and the grouping would rival Europe and the =
United States if it were ever united.=20

ASEAN is keen to see economic integration and most members would like =
much closer links on political and security issues.=20

China, South Korea and Japan are much more sceptical, seeing no chance =
of a common currency any time soon and a slow alignment of economic and =
financial markets as the most likely scenario.=20

IMMENSE DIFFERENCES=20

Analysts say the region's immense differences, with economic powerhouses =
like Singapore at one end and impoverished agrarian societies like Laos =
at the other, provide almost impossible obstacles to any form of an East =
Asian ``common market'' soon.=20

But the region, recovering from over two years of financial crises and =
political turmoil which challenged old assumptions, is agreed the future =
will see more cooperation than in the past.=20

Half the region's population lives in China and half its wealth belongs =
to Japan and the region has immense potential.=20

``Let's face it, our future is intertwined with that of greater East =
Asia,'' Estrada said as he welcomed ASEAN leaders, who held a summit =
before meeting their north Asian neighbours.=20

ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, =
the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.=20

Sunday's joint statement is the first ever issued by ASEAN and its three =
dialogue partners.=20

Economic cooperation emerged as the imperative for the region and =
disagreements over security issues were set aside for now, officials =
said after initial meetings of the leaders.=20

``If we don't get our act together, they are going to walk all over us =
economically,'' said one official.=20

He did not say who ``they'' were, but the region's resurgence after the =
1997/98 financial crisis has led to a new undercurrent of confidence =
with respect to relations with the West.=20

Japan has lobbied other participants to support its former vice finance =
minister, Eisuke Sakakibara, as the next managing director of the =
International Monetary Fund -- by convention a preserve of Europe. =
Support was substantial, officials said.=20

The northern powerhouses -- China, Japan and South Korea -- met for the =
first time while ASEAN held its summit.=20

SECURITY ISSUES AVOIDED=20

Security issues, which divide the three, were conspicuously avoided, but =
there was a lot of common ground on economic issues.=20

Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and South Korean President Kim =
Dae-jung welcomed this month's Sino-U.S. agreement paving the way for =
Beijing to join the World Trade Organisation.=20

Security around the summit, at Manila's bayside Convention Centre, was =
watertight.=20

There were a few small protests -- one by a group of elderly Filipinas =
who said they were used as ``comfort women'' during the Japanese =
occupation of the Philippines during World War Two.=20

Another group of human rights activists chanted slogans against abuses =
in the region including in Aceh and East Timor while left-wing =
demonstrators waved banners saying Asian leaders were ignoring the needs =
of the region's poor.=20

The joint communique issued after the summit said the leaders noted the =
``bright prospects for enhanced interaction and closer linkages in east =
Asia and recognised the fact that this growing interaction has helped =
increase opportunities for cooperation and collaboration with each =
other.''=20

Politically, the leaders agreed to extend dialogue and coordination ``to =
increase mutual understanding and trust towards forging lasting peace =
and stability in East Asia.''=20




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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><B>Sunday November 28, 4:22 am =
<SMALL>Eastern=20
Time</SMALL></B>=20
<H2><FONT size=3D4>FOCUS-East Asia plans closer ties for 21st =
century</FONT></H2><!--rf|943780920--><!-- TextStart -->
<P>(Recasts, adds joint declaration, details, paras 1-2, 5-9, 22-24)=20
<P>By Chris Johnson=20
<P>MANILA, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Thirteen Asian nations promised on Sunday =
to=20
strengthen economic and political ties to bring peace, stability and =
prosperity=20
to two-fifths of the world's population.=20
<P>In an unprecedented joint declaration, Japan, China, South Korea and =
the=20
10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) vowed to link =
arms to=20
make a ``tangible impact on the quality of life'' and stability of east =
Asia in=20
the next century.=20
<P>The host of the summit, Philippine President Joseph Estrada, said the =

cooperation might one day lead to ``an east Asian common market, one =
east Asian=20
currency, one east Asian community.''=20
<P>The east Asian markets encompass about two billion people and $7.75 =
trillion=20
in economic output and the grouping would rival Europe and the United =
States if=20
it were ever united.=20
<P>ASEAN is keen to see economic integration and most members would like =
much=20
closer links on political and security issues.=20
<P>China, South Korea and Japan are much more sceptical, seeing no =
chance of a=20
common currency any time soon and a slow alignment of economic and =
financial=20
markets as the most likely scenario.=20
<P>IMMENSE DIFFERENCES=20
<P>Analysts say the region's immense differences, with economic =
powerhouses like=20
Singapore at one end and impoverished agrarian societies like Laos at =
the other,=20
provide almost impossible obstacles to any form of an East Asian =
``common=20
market'' soon.=20
<P>But the region, recovering from over two years of financial crises =
and=20
political turmoil which challenged old assumptions, is agreed the future =
will=20
see more cooperation than in the past.=20
<P>Half the region's population lives in China and half its wealth =
belongs to=20
Japan and the region has immense potential.=20
<P>``Let's face it, our future is intertwined with that of greater East =
Asia,''=20
Estrada said as he welcomed ASEAN leaders, who held a summit before =
meeting=20
their north Asian neighbours.=20
<P>ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, =
the=20
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.=20
<P>Sunday's joint statement is the first ever issued by ASEAN and its =
three=20
dialogue partners.=20
<P>Economic cooperation emerged as the imperative for the region and=20
disagreements over security issues were set aside for now, officials =
said after=20
initial meetings of the leaders.=20
<P>``If we don't get our act together, they are going to walk all over =
us=20
economically,'' said one official.=20
<P>He did not say who ``they'' were, but the region's resurgence after =
the=20
1997/98 financial crisis has led to a new undercurrent of confidence =
with=20
respect to relations with the West.=20
<P>Japan has lobbied other participants to support its former vice =
finance=20
minister, Eisuke Sakakibara, as the next managing director of the =
International=20
Monetary Fund -- by convention a preserve of Europe. Support was =
substantial,=20
officials said.=20
<P>The northern powerhouses -- China, Japan and South Korea -- met for =
the first=20
time while ASEAN held its summit.=20
<P>SECURITY ISSUES AVOIDED=20
<P>Security issues, which divide the three, were conspicuously avoided, =
but=20
there was a lot of common ground on economic issues.=20
<P>Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and South Korean President Kim =
Dae-jung=20
welcomed this month's Sino-U.S. agreement paving the way for Beijing to =
join the=20
World Trade Organisation.=20
<P>Security around the summit, at Manila's bayside Convention Centre, =
was=20
watertight.=20
<P>There were a few small protests -- one by a group of elderly =
Filipinas who=20
said they were used as ``comfort women'' during the Japanese occupation =
of the=20
Philippines during World War Two.=20
<P>Another group of human rights activists chanted slogans against =
abuses in the=20
region including in Aceh and East Timor while left-wing demonstrators =
waved=20
banners saying Asian leaders were ignoring the needs of the region's =
poor.=20
<P>The joint communique issued after the summit said the leaders noted =
the=20
``bright prospects for enhanced interaction and closer linkages in east =
Asia and=20
recognised the fact that this growing interaction has helped increase=20
opportunities for cooperation and collaboration with each other.''=20
<P>Politically, the leaders agreed to extend dialogue and coordination =
``to=20
increase mutual understanding and trust towards forging lasting peace =
and=20
stability in East Asia.'' <!-- TextEnd -->
<P>
<P>
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